by By Brett Molina, USA TODAY

by By Brett Molina, USA TODAY

So how well did Sony's struggling PlayStation Vita handheld fare during its first Black Friday?

The company announced it sold more than 160,000 PlayStation Vitas during Black Friday week, its first since launching in the U.S. in February.

Although discounted bundles featuring games such as Assassin's Creed III: Liberation and Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified sold very well, it wasn't enough to compete with its strongest rival, Nintendo. The company revealed Monday they sold 250,000 3DS handhelds and an additional 275,000 units of the standard DS.

Then there's the rise of smartphones and tablets, with its stable of low-cost or free games players can download. While most retail Vita titles cost between $40-$50, Sony does offer a handful of less expensive titles through the online PlayStation Network.

Meanwhile, Sony says total sales for the PlayStation 3 (hardware, software and accessories) jumped 9% compared to the same time last year. The company sold more than 525,000 PS3s during the Black Friday week.

"The PlayStation brand generated significant revenue and year-over-year growth at retail because of our focus on what gamers love most in combining amazing hardware with great games and digital entertainment," says Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, in a statement.

The haul wasn't enough to overtake Microsoft, which sold 750,000 Xbox 360 video game consoles within the same timeframe, but Sony did best Nintendo's new Wii U at 400,000 consoles sold.

Also, sales of the subscription service PlayStation Plus -- which offers free games, discounts and other perks -- surged 259% compared to last Black Friday, according to Sony.